WW II veterans to travel to Washington next week LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Nearly 80 World War II veterans will travel from Arkansas to the nation’s capital to see the memorial built in their honor. A commercial jet has been chartered to fly the veterans free of charge from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock to Washington, D.C., and back. The group will include veterans as old as 98 who will see the World War II Memorial as well as other military memorials. Earlier this week, ...

AG OKs wording of medical marijuana proposalLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on Thursday approved the wording of a second proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state, clearing the way for supporters to begin gathering signatures to qualify for next year’s ballot. McDaniel certified the wording of the proposal submitted by Arkansans for Compassionate Care, the group behind a medical marijuana measure that voters narrowly rejected in November. The certi...

John Brown U. nursing program receives $6M gift SILOAM SPRINGS (AP) — John Brown University says it’s received a $6 million gift for its new nursing education facility and an endowment for the university’s new nursing program. JBU President Chip Pollard announced the gift Thursday and said the donor wants to remain anonymous. The university is working to raise about $10 million total for the program. JBU was approved last month by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to begin recruiting stud...

UA receives largest-ever federal research grant FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — The University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Education have received a $32 million federal grant aimed at improving educational opportunities and future careers for low-income teenagers with disabilities. The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education is the largest federal research grant the university has ever received, UA officials said Thursday. “This grant will give us a significant boost in our...

Colorful Gilbert weather observer dies at age 85 GILBERT (AP) — Harold Bing, noted by forecasters for documenting some of Arkansas’ coldest temperatures during decades as a weather observer, has died, He was 85. Bing or someone from his family has been providing the National Weather Service with daily temperature readings from Gilbert in each of the last six decades, at least. Forecasters’ records dating to 1965 show observations from Ida Killian, his mother-in-law. His wife handled most rea...

Court orders arbitration in LegalZoom caseLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas’ highest court says a lawsuit that accuses an online legal document services company of illegally practicing law in the state must instead go to arbitration. The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a Pope County judge was wrong to deny LegalZoom.com Inc.’s motion to compel arbitration in the lawsuit filed by a Russellville man. Jonathan McIllwain had used the LegalZoom site to make a last will and testamen...

Cedarville police chief fired; 6 officers quit CEDARVILLE (AP) — Officials say the Cedarville police chief was fired this week — and six police officers also decided to quit their jobs with the department. Cedarville Mayor Glenanna O’Mara says Police Chief Mark Gentry was relieved of his duties Wednesday. O’Mara would not say what led to Gentry’s firing, only that there are no allegations of wrongdoing during his tenure. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the six officers resigned because...

Congressman deletes 'violent rhetoric' tweetLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Republican congressman from Arkansas on Thursday posted - and later deleted - a tweet criticizing President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers for "violent rhetoric" during a U.S. Capitol lockdown following a shooting. U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin tweeted from his personal account "Stop the violent rhetoric President Obama, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi" after a shooting was reported outside the Capitol. Griffin's tweet inclu...

Traffic halted on I-30 bridge at Arkansas River LITTLE ROCK (AP) — State highway officials say traffic is blocked in both directions at the Interstate 30 bridge over the Arkansas River while officials investigate a rush-hour report that it was struck by a watercraft. Officials said Thursday afternoon that someone reported to the Coast Guard that a vessel struck a bridge support. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says state police halted traffic on the bridge as a precaution...

AG rejects marijuana legalization measure LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has again rejected the wording of a proposed ballot measure aimed at legalizing marijuana in the state. McDaniel on Wednesday cited several problems with the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment submitted by Marjorie LeClair of Shirley. McDaniel must certify the proposed amendment before supporters can begin gathering the 78,133 signatures needed to place it on next year'...

Furlough numbers not as bad as expectedLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas budget officials say the number of state employees off work Wednesday because of the federal budget impasse is at 685. That figure is down from Tuesday’s total as agencies found financial resources that let work continue despite a partial shutdown of the federal government. The state Department of Finance and Administration cautioned that the number of furloughed workers could balloon as federal money previously aut...

55K people in state want to sign up for coverage LITTLE ROCK (AP) — More than 55,000 low-income Arkansans have told the state they want to sign up for coverage under a recently approved plan to use Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance under the federal health care law, the Department of Human Services said Wednesday. The department said it planned to begin mailing out letters to the 55,440 people instructing them on how to enroll in the state’s “private option,” approved by the feder...

Arvest Bank to purchase National Banking Corp. LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arvest Bank Group Inc. and National Banking Corp. have announced an agreement for Arvest Holding Company to purchase National Banking. Financial terms of the agreement were not released. The two banking entities said in a news release Wednesday that if the sale is approved by regulators the merger could be complete late this year or during the first quarter of 2014. Arvest Holding Company, Inc. is a subsidiary of Arvest Bank...

Missing Greenwood boater found dead in lake GREENWOOD (AP) — Authorities say the body of a missing fisherman has been found in Lake Jack Nolen near Greenwood. Greenwood Police Chief Will Dawson told reporters that the body of 62-year-old Stephen Whitson of Greenwood was found near the boat dock about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Dawson says foul play is not suspected — but the body is being sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Whits...

Revenue up in September LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Finance officials on Wednesday said that higher than expected tax collections in every major category boosted Arkansas revenue last month, as Gov. Mike Beebe warned that the state’s coffers could be hurt by a prolonged federal government shutdown. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said that net available revenue in September totaled $522.8 million, which was $28.2 million above the same month last year an...

Sentencing set for former lottery official LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for a former Arkansas Lottery security official accused of stealing and cashing almost a half-million dollars’ worth of scratch-off tickets. Online court records show that former deputy security director Remmele Mazyck has a sentencing hearing set for Nov. 7 in Little Rock. Mazyck pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges in July. The lottery’s director, Bishop ...

Congressman: Arkansas State losing ROTC program JONESBORO (AP) — U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford’s office said it’s received notice that Arkansas State University’s ROTC program will be discontinued by the U.S. Department of Defense. Jonah Shumate, a spokesman for the Republican congressman, said Crawford was notified about the closure Tuesday. Crawford’s office said Arkansas State is one of several campuses losing its ROTC program for not meeting “viability standards.” University leaders said they...

Authorities ID man crushed by mobile home PARAGOULD (AP) — Greene County authorities have identified the man who was crushed to death after a double-wide mobile home fell on top of him. Donald Wayne Robertson was attempting to set up the mobile home Friday when the structure collapsed and fell on top of him. Authorities tell the Paragould Daily Press the 53-year-old was working for Affordable Homes Super Center of Blytheville. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office says Robertson was work...

2 Hoxie firefighters hurt while battling blaze HOXIE (AP) — Authorities say two firefighters were injured while battling a house fire in northeast Arkansas. The Hoxie Fire Department says the blaze broke out Tuesday night at a rural home. Jonesboro television station KAIT reported fire crews from Hoxie, Sedgwick and Bono responded to the blaze. Authorities say two firefighters suffered minor injuries and were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Walnut Ridge. The cause of the fire hasn’t...

State says 955 workers furloughed over shutdown LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas agencies furloughed nearly 1,000 employees Tuesday after Congress failed to adopt a spending plan for a new fiscal year, resulting in a partial shutdown of the federal government, and state budget officials warned that the number of workers temporarily off the job could rise if the shutdown continues. Some positions within Arkansas state government are paid for through an intertwining of state and federal funds. Gov...